Concise Bible Dictionary:
This is addressed to “the elect lady,” but gives no intimation as to who she was. Some suppose the word kvpἰα to be a proper name, and read “To Kyria the elect.” She is warned against countenancing in any way those who brought not true doctrine as to Christ. Love is governed by truth, accompanied with obedience—in a word, Christ. Obedience would prove the apostle’s work to be real, and he would receive a full reward. As in the first epistle, “that which was from the beginning” is enforced, in opposition to any supposed development. It is an important principle that one bidding “God speed” to a false teacher, is partaker of his evil deeds.
Bible Handbook:
This Epistle is addressed to ‘The elect lady’ and her children, but no intimation is given as to what lady is referred to. Some have taken the word κυρίᾳ as a proper name, and render it ‘To Kyria the elect.’
The epistle exemplifies love governed by truth, accompanied with obedience — in a word, Christ; and gives a warning to the faithful against false teachers, as in the first epistle. To countenance them in any way is to be a partaker of their evil deeds.
The apostle and those with him enjoin obedience, that their work should not be a failure, but that they might receive a full reward.
As in the first epistle, so here, what had been heard ‘from the beginning,’ is enforced, in contrast to any professed development of doctrine.
The idea of teachers being humanly accredited is totally absent; each was to be judged by what he taught.
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